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Consolation Prize

NOOK Book(eBook)

Overview

Don’t you just hate it when someone destroys all your carefully made plans?

I mean, I had goals: college to graduate in one semester, a future I was working hard to reach, and an image of myself I wanted the world to see. My life was stacked into these precisely placed blocks. But then Colton Gamble came along and knocked them all askew.

I hated how he messed everything up, how he could hog all my attention whenever he was around, how he made my pulse quicken—but only because he ticked me off...not because I was attracted to him. Oh! And I hated how he knew how attractive he was too, the shallow, full of himself, doesn’t take no for an answer, too flirty, too cocky, extremely irritating jerk.

The boy had all the qualities that turned me off. Or so I thought.

One night he wasn’t quite the brainless, overconfident jerk I assumed he always was. One night, he took care of me when I was at my lowest. He opened up to me and made me open up to him. Now I’m learning maybe he’s not what I first thought he was. And maybe I’M not what I first thought I was. Maybe it’s okay to rearrange a couple of my perfectly set blocks. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll stop worrying about what I’m afraid everyone else will think and finally reach for something I really want. It’s possible some of my plans need to be destroyed, and Colton Gamble is exactly the kind of mess I need in my life.

Product Details

About the Author

The youngest of eight children, Linda Kage grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest. She now lives in Kansas with her husband, daughter, and nine cuckoo clocks. Linda is a member of Romance Writers of America and its local chapter, Midwest Romance Writers.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Let's get one thing clear first!! The Forbidden Men series is my absolute favorite!! No doubt!! That's because each character so far has been so well-thought and carefully-written! Even though the series consists of 9 books now, every single one of them was special! The characters are so different from one another and they've managed to find common ground to form this deep bond that everyone wishes they had!! I honestly don't know where to start!! After all this waiting, I thought I would have been prepared for it, but noooo...!! I always fall into a no-books comma after reading a Linda Kage book!! Always!!
So, yeah, about the actual book now....lol!! Consolation Prize tells the story of a boy and a girl who fall in love.
Wish that was only it! But noooo...!! Being Linda Kage, she had to put not one or two, but multiple obstacles to prevent them from getting to that point. Let’s see, there's the age thing, Julianna is FOUR years older that Colton. He thinks she's a wild, unattainable girl and she thinks he is an immature, annoying little kiddo.. He is the little brother of the guy she thinks she is in love with and she is off limits to him due to his big brother's warning! Oh, and they are of different races. She is a black girl and he is a white boy!! Not that it matters to them. It matters to everyone around them.
“Just for that, I’m going to make you cuddle.”
“Cuddle?” My eyes bulged as he crawled closer.
“Yes, cuddle,” he said. “I like to cuddle.”
My muscles clenched and limbs went tense as he climbed up right into my personal space and wrapped himself around me like a second skin.
“I…I’m not big on cuddling,” I finally admitted, my body board-stiff against him.
“Really?” He sounded surprised by that. “Well, don’t worry, by the time I’m through with you, you’ll love it.
At first they try to deny their feelings and pretend it's - what else?! - lust!! But as the story unravels, they realize they both have developed deep, soul-crushing feelings for each other! Now you might say "been there, done that", but as I said at the beginning, Linda's characters are always so well-written and special! And Colton and Julianna's interactions were so hilarious and touching! They made this story so distinguished from the others!!
"Yet I knew without a shadow of a doubt there was no way that would ever happen, because that lady right here was a ball breaker. You could tell it by the straight-backed, poised way she held herself, as if she might as well be behind a boardroom table, doling out punishments to her inferior insubordinates, and by the way she had no tolerance for stupidity or players. I swear, her stare alone could shrivel a guy’s family jewels to impotent nothingness. I usually had the itching urge to cover my junk whenever I talked to her."
At the end, they both try to overcome any fears and insecurities they have and choose to aim for happiness!!
Ultimately, Consolation Prize was the perfect story to choose to write as a conclusion to the Forbidden Men series!! I know it's not the final book in the series, but it's the last couple of the gang Linda is writing and that might have made me a bit sad!! She has managed to make me both laugh and tear up again and I appreciate and love every writer that can do that to someone with a book!! I highly recommend it! In case it wasn't clear!! :P
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review also posted on my blog: she-reads-romance.blogspot.gr

Dalitza

More than 1 year ago

Linda Kage crafts a beautiful and inspiring story about a relationship between a young white man and a slightly older black woman who apparently have nothing in common but together forge an incredible partnership based on love, respect and friendship.
Maintaining her impeccable image was just one of Julianna Radcliffe’s concerns, adhering to her sensibly constructed life plan in which she saw herself graduating from college and moving out of town for a big and meaningful job were the main ones. Getting over one brother and falling for the annoying younger, cockier one was certainly not on her list. When the whirlwind that is Colton Gamble comes along there’s not much she can do but give him a chance.
Colton Gamble had hit on and flirted mercilessly with Juliana for months getting constantly rejected. But on the eve of his brother’s wedding he didn’t care he was second best in Juliana’s eyes, he only wanted to erase the sadness from her face when she looked at his brother getting married. He never thought that opening up to her would lead her to open up in return. Can he use this chance to convince her that despite all their apparent differences he’s exactly what she needs?
I’ve loved and followed the Forbidden Men series missing the last two books, which I’m reading ASAP of course, enjoying both the appealing plots and flawed yet charming characters Linda creates in this forbidden romance subgenre.
I met Colton way back when he was just a boy being rescued by his oldest brother Noel in book #2. He was a defenseless kid who was being raised in a bad situation, but after moving in with Noel and his wife Aspen things got better for him and the rest of the Gamble clan.
So why the history lesson? Because one of Noel’s best friends happens to be the smart, unfiltered and incorrigible Oren Tenning, a caring man Colton took to whose character seems to have rubbed off on the young Gamble. Colton is witty, funny, incorrigible, and has a comeback for everything that sometimes hides a heart of gold. He’s loyal, loves his friends and family fiercely and sometimes feels as though he’s not deserving of their love and that he’s just a Consolation Prize. I fell completely head over heels for him.
Although some of her priorities as a bit tangled up, Juliana is smart, independent and sassy and perfect for Colton. Together they tease and banter, steam up the pages but are also sweet and caring which leads to a lovely romance which is tested by racism, an overbearing father and a twist so shocking that had me devouring the last pages like a crazy person. That epilogue though was swoony sweet, but also felt as a farewell to the series which gave me a bittersweet feeling because I’ll miss the entire set of characters which along the way became dear friends.
Two mentions of more things that worked for me. I loved getting up to date with the characters from past books which are part of Colton’s incredible family and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter which were part of Aspen’s quote board from book #2
Consolation Prize is book 9 in the Forbidden Men series by Linda Kage that can be read as a standalone. It’s written from both points of view and interconnecting characters from past books. I recommend it for readers that like touching and sexy romances with a sweet happy ending.

TheBookishIntrovert

More than 1 year ago

Linda Kage does it again!
I absolutely ADORE this series. It’s definitely up there as one of my all-time favorites and I’m so so sooo sad to have to say goodbye to these characters. This is the ninth book and I’m still so completely invested in all of their lives! Colton and Julianna’s story did not disappoint! Consolation Prize was sweet, swoony, heartfelt, emotional, and powerful.
Colton Gamble is all grown up and hot as hell, and damn, it makes me feel dirty thinking about him that way since we met him when he was just a child. LOL. He’s sexy, cocky, funny, and caring. I just love him! Colton knew about Julianna’s crush on his older brother, but that doesn’t him from flirting with her. Julianna Radcliffe has been harboring a crush on Colton’s married older brother, Brandt, yet she can’t help but be drawn towards Colton.
I loved the banter between these two. You could also just tell how crazy they were about each other. Their love was crazy intense and passionate.
While I’m sad to see this series end, I can’t wait to see what Linda Kage has in store for us next!

hll1981

More than 1 year ago

I have been a huge fan of the Forbidden Men series for awhile now, it’s one of my favorite series and I recommend it often. Each one has been unique with flawless writing that never ceases to leave me enraptured. Consolation Prize was no exception; I loved this book cover to cover!
“I felt the need to be the exception to the rule, the one who got past her defenses and scaled that impossible mountain of poise and perfection.”
This story starts out with unrequited lust on Julianna’s part. We met her in Brant’s book (Book 8) where she and Brant went out on a date that was cut short. Ever since then, Juli has viewed him as the one that got away. Colton, on the other hand, has always viewed her as the unattainable; older, and way out of his league. Of course, that doesn’t stop him from flirting shamelessly. It isn’t until they are thrust together at Brant’s wedding that they realize there might be more hiding beneath the facades they both present to the world.
“I was the kind of girl who thrived off order and control. It only took one glance at Colton to know those things did not exist in his wheelhouse.”
I absolutely adored Colton. We have watched him grow up throughout the earlier books, and it was such a treat to see him come into his own. If you love Ten (Oren from book 5) then you will love Colton! He is a jokester and shameless flirt, but there is so much more to him that others rarely see. His past has left him with tremendous guilt, and at times we see just how vulnerable he really is. He is devoted to his family and siblings, and determined to repay what each of them has given to him.
“Everything about him was just so loud. It blared through me, taking control of my heartbeat, of my breathing, of my hormones.”
Julianna was a very different heroine that what we have seen in previous books. She is very cold and judgmental when we first meet her. Perfection is what she strives for, and anything that deviates from that is not for her. As she interacts more with Colton, those walls start to crumble, and she realizes she doesn’t have to always be perfect. I appreciated her character’s growth throughout the story. I ended up falling for her as much as for Colton.
If you are a fan of the series, there are plenty of glimpses of the previous Gamble siblings and their extended family (although I missed seeing Asher!). Noel and Aspen have their own mini-arc that was heart-breaking at times, but I loved the peak into their lives now. There is also an element of suspense that had me on the edge of my seat towards the end. So good!!!
I adored this opposites attract, feel-good story! These characters never fail to leave me with a smile. I love Linda’s writing and how effortless it is. I really hope this isn’t the end (It’s not right?!!!). I don’t know what I will do when I have to say goodbye to these characters.

BookSnuggle

More than 1 year ago

"Consolation Prize" by Linda Kage is book number nine in the "Forbidden Men" series. This is Colton Gamble and Julianna Radcliffe's story.
Colton is only eighteen and comes across as a flirt and a guy just out for fun. As the story progresses you see a completely different side to Colton.
Julianna is several years older than Colton. She is a very organized and disciplined young woman that has goals. Julianna gets to know Colton and then her life gets turned upside down.
Wow, this story covers so many controversy issues such as older girl/younger guy, black girl/white guy, postpartum depression, college, domestic violence, unique family situations, and so much more.
I enjoyed this story but at times it did frustrate me. But, then the last part of the book had some surprises, twists, and suspense that kept you on the edge of your seat that made the story complete.
FYI, includes mature content. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

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